Floor, rug and upholstery conditioning device

ABSTRACT

A pad or roller is mounted in a frame carried at the lower end of a hollow handle. Liquid wax, varnish, shampoo or other cleaning or conditioning liquid is carried in the handle and metered by an adjustable metering device, to the pad or roller. A wringer attachment is provided for use with the pad or sponge element.

United States Patent [191 Rosocha FLOOR, RUG AND UPHOLSTERY CONDITIONING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Bruno Rosocha,

Crescent, Canada [22] Filed: June21, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 155,203 A 124 Vryenhoek Winnipeg Manitoba,

[52] US. Cl. ..40l/196, 401/208, 401/22, 401/23 [51] Int. Cl. ..A46b 11/04 [58] Field of Search ..401/l95, 196, 203, 401/204, 22, 23, 208; 15/116 A, 119 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,552,870 1/1971 Brooks ..401/206 697,760 4/ 1902 Warfel ..401/196 [111 3,726,602 [451 Apr. 10, 1973 2,976,559 3,161,905 12/1964 Dryden ..40l/204 3,052,91 l 9/1962 Ostrow et al. ..40l/2l FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 956,318 4/1964 Great Britain ..40l/203 Primary Examiner-Lawrence Charles Attorney-S. G. Ade et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A pad or roller is mounted in a frame carried at the lower end of a hollow handle. Liquid wax, varnish, shampoo or other cleaning or conditioning liquid is carried in the handle and metered by an adjustable metering device, to the pad or roller. A wringer at- I tachment is provided for use with the pad or sponge element.

1 Claim, 14 Drawing Figures 3/1961 Yonkers et al. ..40l/2 1 PATENTEUAPR1 0 m 3; 726,602

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PATENTED 0 sum 3 or 4 FLOOR, RUG AND UPI-IOLSTERY CONDITIONING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are many devices made for use in households, hospitals, gymnasiums, bowling alleys, schools, universities and the like for washing-or waxing or varnishing floors or for use upon upholstery or rugs. However, each particular process normally requires a separate machine or device and not only is this inconvenient but also considerable expense is involved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present device overcomes all of these disadvantages by providing a single device which can be used for all of these purposes and which includes a hollow handle and reservoir which can be filled with the required conditioning liquid such as shampoo, wax, varnish, cleansing fluid or other conditioning liquid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which can be used with a block-type sponge or pad or, alternatively, can be used with a resilient sponge-like roller, the former being used on floors, walls, ceilings and the like and the latter on rugs or upholstery.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which includes a wringer attachment foruse with the block-type sponge.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described in which unused wax, varnish or conditioning liquids can be removed and stored until required thus adding to the economy of the operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described in which the amount of conditioning liquid fed to the block sponge or roller can be controlled by a metering device with the handle.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is simple in construction, economical in operation, and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the considerations and inventive objects herein set forth in view, and such other or further purposes, advantages or novel features as may become apparent from consideration of this disclosure and specification, the present invention consists of the inventive concept which is comprised, embodied, embraced, or included in the method, process, construction, composition, arrangement or combination of parts, or new use of any of the foregoing, herein exemplified in one or more specific embodiments of such concept, reference being had to the accompanying Figures in which:

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the sponge floor waxer or varnisher, sectioned in part for clarity.

FIG. 2 and 2a show enlarged cross sectional views of the metering device per se.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of FIG. 8.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 8.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section of the shampoo brush per se.

FIG. 6 is a cross section of the shampoo brush along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross section of the device for domestic DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows a hollow handle 33 details of which will be explained later. It is secured to the upper side 34 of a frame or holder 35 which includes a downwardly and inwardly depending rear wall 36. The front portion 37 of the frame is hinged as at 38 and also includes a front inwardly and downwardly depending wall 39. A wringer handle 40 is secured to the front portion 37 and when in the position shown in FIG. 1, rests against the handle 33. A conditioning element taking the form of I an elongated sponge mop or foam rubber mop 41 is held between the downwardly and inwardly inclining front and ear walls 39 and 35 as clearly shown. A plurality of holes 42 is formed in the upper portion 34 of the frame underneath the hollow handle 33 so that liquid wax or varnish held within the handle, feeds through to the sponge 41 and may therefore be applied to the floor surface. The wringer portion consisting of the handle 40 and the front portion 37 may be actuated to clean the sponge after use.

The aforementioned hollow handle 33 is preferably enlarged as at 46 to form a reservoir and the upper end 47 is provided with a filler cap 48 so that liquid wax, varnish, water or shampoo can be poured into the hollow handle. It is desirable that a filter 49 be provided in this upper portion as indicated in phantom.

A metering adjustment device 50 is situated just above the attachment of the handle to the frame 35 and details of this are shown in FIGS. 2, 2A, 3 and 4. It consists of an upper portion 51 and a lower portion 52 both screw threadably engaged within the handle which is joined at this point. It is desirable that the screw thread are opposite to facilitate assembly.

A cylindrical shaped inner portion 53 having an extending finger engaging lever 54 is situated within the body 51 and 52 and by rotating the lever 54, matching apertures 54a and 54b may be covered or uncovered to a greater or lesser degree thus metering the amount of liquid wax, varnish or shampoo passing from the reservoir downwardly to the brush head assembly or sponge applicator.

FIG. 10 shows the handle attached to the frame over the entire length thereof so that a plurality of drillings 42 may be provided thus feeding the liquid wax, varnish or shampoo over the entire length of the sponge applicator 41 or roller-brush unit shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 8 shows a view similar to FIG. 1 except that a roller assembly and containing framework or box is shown and is designated by the reference character 72.

The head of the device is similar to that hereinbefore described and similar reference characters have been given.

The box or casing (see FIGS. 9 and 9A) includes the upwardly and outwardly diverging plates 73 which slip into the head from one side, being restricted by a latch 74 which may be pivoted out of the way when it is desired to remove the portion 72 from the head. The other side is restricted by a limit stop 74a. Across tube 75 feeds the roller 77 from the handle 33 and the roller rolls the liquid onto rugs or upholstery and sponges it into the fibers.

FIG. 10 shows details of the head which include a transverse wax, varnish or shampoo feed tube 75 having a plurality of apertures 42 therein and communicating with the lower end of the hollow handle 33. The tube 75 as clearly shown is provided on one side with a cleaning aperture and a screw 75b closure to enable the operator access for cleaning action.

FIG.,11 and 11A show details of the unit 72 in which a sponge roller 77 is journalled upon a spindle 78 carried within the framework 79 and 73. The spindle or shaft 78 is held within the bearings on the end plates 79 of the framework by means of caps 80 held in by screws 81. Soft bristles 82 may depend downwardly on the front and rear of the casing upon each side of the roller 77.

Referring back to FIG. 8, reference character 84 shows a portion of the handle which may be removed if it is desired to shorten the length of the handle 33 for cleaning upholstered furniture.

Various modifications can be made within the scope of the inventive concept which is herein disclosed and/or claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a device for conditioning floors, rugs, upholstery andthe like, the combination of a hollow elongated handle having upper and lower ends, a transverse hollow holder secured to and communicating with the lower end of said handle, a work conditioning element removably mounted in said holder, and externally nianipulable valve means provided in the lower end portion of the handle, the portion of the hollow handle above said valve means constituting a reservoir for conditioning fluid to be delivered to said work conditioning element, said device being characterized in that said valve means comprises an externally screw-threaded tubular connector, said handle including a pair of complemental sections which are internally screw-threaded and connected together by said connector, said connector having a closed lower end provided with a set of apertures, a tubular valve sleeve rotatable in said connector, said valve sleeve also having a closed lower end provided with apertures which may be selectively placed in and out of register with the apertures in the lower end of said connector by rotation of the sleeve in the connector, and a finger-piece provided on said valve sleeve and projecting laterally therefrom through a side opening in the connector to the outside of said handle for rotating said sleeve. I 

1. In a device for conditioning floors, rugs, upholstery and the like, the combination of a hollow elongated handle having upper and lower ends, a transverse hollow holder secured to and communicating with the lower end of said handle, a work conditioning element removably mounted in said holder, and externally manipulable valve means provided in the lower end portion of the handle, the portion of the hollow handle above said valve means constituting a reservoir for conditioning fluid to be delivered to said work conditioning element, said device being characterized in that said valve means comprises an externally screw-threaded tubular connector, said handle including a pair of complemental sections which are internally screw-threaded and connected together by said connector, said connector having a closed lower end provided with a set of apertures, a tubular valve sleeve rotatable in said connector, said valve sleeve also having a closed lower end provided with apertures which may be selectively placed in and out of register with the apertures in the lower end of said connector by rotation of the sleeve in the connector, and a finger-piece provided on said valve sleeve and projecting laterally therefrom through a side opening in the connector to the outside of said handle for rotating said sleeve. 